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Facts and Events
Ann Walby was baptised on 2nd September 1787 at Aston in Hertfordshire, daughter of Alice Walby, formerly Wright, and her husband George Walby, a labourer.
On 28th January 1813, Ann was married at Aston to Thomas Piddle, who was also from Aston. At the time of their marriage, Thomas was living at South Mimms, about sixteen miles south of Aston. Ann and Thomas do not appear to have gone to South Mimms to live after their marriage. They had a daughter, Susannah, baptised at Aston later that year. Susanna's baptism described Thomas as a labourer.
Some time between 1813 and 1815 Ann and Thomas left Aston and moved to the neighbouring parish of Shephall, where they went on to have another six children (James, Joseph, Jane, Mary Ann, Louisa and Martha) between 1815 and 1827, although Jane died as a baby in 1820. Their eldest daughter, Susannah, died at about twelve years old, being buried at Shephall in 1825. Back in Aston, Ann's mother died in 1816 and her father died in 1821.
In May 1828, Ann, Thomas and their children were faced with removal under the Poor Laws. The family became 'chargeable', indicating that they needed poor relief from the parish. The overseers of the poor in Shephall took the view that the family were not actually their responsibility, and called in the local justices for the peace. Thomas was examined under oath. What he said is not recorded, but the justices decided that the family's lawful place of settlement was not Shephall (where they had been living for over thirteen years) but South Mimms. It would therefore seem likely that when Thomas had lived in South Mimms as a young man before his marriage that he had worked over a year for one employer in that parish. Clearly he had not had an unbroken year's employment since moving to Shephall.
The justices therefore drew up a removal order, allowing the Shephall overseers to take the family to South Mimms. However, the justices also suspended the order from taking effect immediately, as Ann was "unable to travel by reason of sickness and infirmity of body". It is not clear whether the removal order was ever carried out.
It is not clear when Ann died. The most plausible burial found to date is at St Thomas's Church in Southwark of an "Ann Paddle" in February 1829 who was about the right age and a patient at St Thomas's Hospital. This may therefore fit with Ann having been too ill to travel in May 1828.
Thomas died in 1839, aged 54.
References
- ↑ Church of England. Aston Parish registers, 1558-1980. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).
Baptized in 1787: Ann Daugh[te]r of Geo[rge] & Alice Walby Sep[tembe]r 2nd
- Removal order, in Church of England. Shephall Parish Registers, 1560-1935. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies)
D/P100/13/1.
Liberty of St Alban IN THE County of Hertford}
To the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Sheephall in the Liberty of St. Alban, and County of Hertford, and to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of South Mimms in the County of Middlesex and to each and every of them.
WHEREAS Complaint hath been made unto us, whose Names are hereunto set, and Seals affixed, being Two of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the Liberty of St. Alban aforesaid, (one whereof being of the Quorum) by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Sheephall that
Thomas Piddell and Ann his Wife and their five Children namely James aged about thirteen years Joseph aged about eleven years Mary Ann aged about seven years Louisa aged about five years and Martha aged about one year have come to inhabit in the said Parish of Sheephall not having gained a legal Settlement there, nor produced any Certificate owning them to be settled elsewhere, and are now chargeable to the said Parish of Sheephall WE, the said Justices, upon the Examination of the said Thomas Piddell upon Oath, as other circumstances, do adjudge the same to be true, and we do likewise adjudge the Place of the legal Settlement of the said Thomas Piddell and his said Wife and their said five children to be in the Parish of South Mimms in the County of Middlesex
THESE are therefore in His Majesty's Name to require you, the said Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the said Parish of Sheephall or some or one of you, or any proper Person or Persons to be employed by you, to remove and convey the said Thomas Piddell and his said wife and their said five Children from and out of your said Parish of Sheephall to the said Parish of South Mimms and them to deliver unto the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor there, or to some or one of them, together with this our Order, or a true Copy thereof, who are hereby required to receive and provide for them according to LAW.
GIVEN under our Hands and Seals, the thirty first Day of May in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-eight
Sam[ue]l Jones Mayor (seal)
W. Bowen (seal)
WHEREAS it appears unto the Justices within mentioned, that the within-named Ann Piddell is at present unable to travel by reason of Sickness and Infirmity of Body We do therefore hereby suspend the execution of the within Order of Removal until it shall be made appear unto us that the same may safely be executed without danger. GIVEN under our Hands the thirty first day of May in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and twenty eight.
Sam[ue]l Jones Mayor
W. Bowen
[There follows a pre-printed 'fill in the blanks' form (in the same style as the removal order and note above) which has not been completed, which would have provided for the justices to be "fully satisfied that the within Order of Removal may be executed without danger".]
- ↑ Burials register, in Southwark, Surrey, England. Parish Registers of St Thomas's Church (London Metropolitan Archives, London).
| BURIALS in the Parish of St Thomas's Southwark in the County of Surrey in the Year 1829 | | No. | Name | Abode | When buried | Age | By whom the Ceremony was performed | | 91 | Ann Paddle | St Thomas's Hosp[ita]l | 11 Feb[ruar]y | 42 y[ea]rs [1786/7] | Rev[eren]d J.W. Mercer, Minister |
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